Kahn’s Reading

I found the more traditionally academic section more convincing. Instead of the claim being hidden behind the story, it is very clear what the claim is. By writing in the traditionally academic way, there is a clear claim, evidence, and analysis. In a narrative, those statements can get lost. I may tend to focus more on the story than on what the message is the author is trying to convey. Since my attention was partially diverted and I did not get to entire message the author was trying to convey, it was not as convincing as the more traditionally academic section. This is most likely because I am so used to writing my assignments in this style, that I have grown accustomed to it and now prefer it. For years in school, I have been taught to write a topic sentence, give a little background, give evidence to support my claim, and then explain and analyze how the evidence supports my claim. Because of this, it is easier for me to interpret to more traditionally academic section. Since I can interpret it better, it convinces me more than the narrative section which I do not understand as well.

I can apply ethnographic research to case studies I will do in my college classes and in my career. In case studies, I work with a child and take notes. For example, I may take notes on where the child’s development is in morality, which is the child’s highest intelligence and which is the lowest (the multiple intelligences), the child’s developmental level, the child’s temperament, etc. By looking at the culture of the household and friends, I can see what may be influencing the child that could affect the child’s results. Relationships are also important, especially with family members. Two children of the same culture may have different results because they had different relationships with their family. For example, a child whose parents work a lot may be shyer than a child whose parents are often around. This could be because the shyer child does not interact with people as much because the parents are not around as much as the other child’s and because the shyer child does not have as many strong relationships as the other child and is more wary of other people. This is a good way to apply ethnographic research because I can both observe and participate with the child in the study. I can participate by initiating an activity or game that will test the child’s developmental skills. I can observe by watching the child interact with family and friends. By doing so, I can observe the different cultures and relationships of each person the child interacts with.